J. NRSA Training Core: Abstract The mission of the proposed TL1 Program is to improve human health by catalyzing and accelerating the translation of research findings to the community. We will meet this mission by developing, implementing, and continually improving a training program for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees that integrates a mentored research experience, an individualized curriculum, and professional development activities that focus on team-based research and effective collaboration and communication with the larger community. The proposed TL1 Program will be built on CTSI?s successful Translational Research Development Program (TRDP), which has guided the development of early-stage clinical and translational science (CTS) researchers over the past 4 years. Founded on the internal strengths of the 6 UMN AHC schools, the TRDP has used mentorship, coursework, seminars, and other tools to guide 22 researchers along a rigorous path of professional development in CTS research. To increase the impact and reach of our training efforts, we will transition from our TRDP to the proposed TL1 program in order to: 1) Recruit and fund more researchers to achieve a diverse cohort of trainees from across the nation; 2) Increase funding so researchers can focus exclusively on CTS research; 3) Vertically integrate program activities with our KL2 Program; 4) Increase the role of mentors and mentorship teams at all stages of training; 5) Increase the emphasis on collaboration and communication with community members throughout the research process; 6) Increase opportunities to gain industrial experience and engage in activities geared toward technology commercialization; and 7) Expand the evaluation plan to include a wider variety of metrics and methods for continuous adjustment and improvement. The TL1 Program will be disseminated locally and nationally to contribute to the development of the very best practices for effective CTS training and career development. Innovative elements include: 1) Active guidance and training in CTS research and career development for both trainees and mentor; 2) A novel emphasis on community engagement for TL1 trainees, including a community liaison and a TL1 Community Research Forum; 3) Extensive opportunities for vertical integration with KL2 Scholars; 4) Incorporation of formal training in communication skills so trainees can work effectively in team-based research environments and communicate effectively with scientific and non-scientific audiences; 5) Numerous internal and external experiential training opportunities that allow trainees to explore CTS career paths; 6) Development of training modules and workshops on team science and communication that will be disseminated to the national CTSA hub; and 7) Fully sponsored UMN trainee-to-faculty appointment for 15 underrepresented in medicine postdoctoral TL1 (or clinical postdoc) trainees over the 5-year funding period.